Straight edge



A. AISEN STRAIGHT EDGE A ril 20, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 23,1962 INVENTOR.

MN NN drraen e'f 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 A. AISEN STRAIGHT EDGE April 20, 1965Filed March 23, 1962 INVENTOR. 44%04 a 4/55 Arman/er United StatesPatent Ofilice 3,l78,826 Patented Apr. 20, 1965 3,178,826 STRAIGHT EDGEArnoid Aisen, 14037 W. 7-Mile Road, Detroit, Filed Mar. 23, 1962., Ser.No. 182,059

ll. Ciaim. C1. 333-167) This invention relates to a straight edge andmore particularly to a straight edge or rule type member, particularlyadapted for marking and cutting of glass, but

also adapted for the cutting or making of metal, linoleum, or otherplanar objects.

Heretofore, in the manufacture of rules and straight edges, such as usedin the glass trade, for example, the opposing upright edge faces of therule wear or become damaged, or otherwise marked up, with the resultthat the rule or straight edge must be repaired or replaced. Thesestraight edges are extremely expensive, particularly the long ones, andmay range from 6 to feet in length. Oftentimes when it is necessary torepair these straight edges, it is necessary to return them to thefactory for a refinishing of the edge faces thereof.

It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide anovel form of straight edge, preferably constructed of an aluminum:body, and wherein the edge faces upon opposite sides thereof are formedof removable and replaceable plastic or nylon members whichinterlockingly engage the opposing edges of the straight edge, and whichwhen worn or damaged, may be easily replaced.

lit is another object of the present invention to provide a straightedge which is non-warping in character, and wear of the edge faces isminimized by the construction of the movable edge strip, preferablyconstructed of nylon, and wherein also the edge strips for the straightedge project beyond the edge faces of the said straight edge for contactwith the glass, or other surface to be marked, or cut, and to thusprevent scratching of the glass or other material.

it is another object of the present invention to provide in a straightedge preferably of metallic construction such as aluminum, a replaceableand interchangeable and removable edge strip of nylon which directlyinterlocks with the body of the straight edge and when assembledprovides a smooth continuation thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a straightedge which will have a minimum contact with the glass surface to bemarked or cut, and wherein there is no metal contact with the glass.

it is a further object to provide removable edge strips for the straightedge of nylon or other hard plastic material to minimize frictionalengagement of the glass or other surface and which willfacilitatesliding of the straight edge thereover.

It is another object of the present invention to provide 7 removable andreplaceable edge strips for the straight edge which have upright edgefaces of increased height against which the cutting tool is guided.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a straight edgeconstructed of extruded aluminum and .which incorporates undercut ordovetailed grooves or at alltimes along the upright edge face of an edgestrip of the straight edge to facilitate the cutting of glass or otherobjects and for maintaining the cutting tool against the straight edgethroughout the length of the said straight edge.

It isa'further object of the present invention to provide in the presentstraight edge a series of longitudinally spaced suction cups providing ameans of anchoring the straight edge to a glass or other surface andwith means incorporated in conjunction with the said suction cups foreffecting a manual release thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to adapt a removable andreplaceable plastic edge strip to a T-square construction, or atriangle, or a right-angle square.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specificationand claims in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the present straight edge as mounted upon astrip of glass, fragmentarily shown.

1516. 2 is a front elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2, on an increased scale.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2, on an increased scale.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the present straight edge with suction cupsincorporated thereinto and including an indicia strip.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section taken on line 66 of FIG. 5 on anincreased scale.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary section taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a T-square incorporating the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of a right angle square incorporatingthe present invention.

t is contemplated that the drawings illustrate merely a preferredembodiment of the invention and that other embodiments may be providedwithin the scope of the claims hereinafter set forth.

Referring to the drawings, and with particular reference to FIGS. 1through 4, the present straight edge includes an elongated hollow body,generally indicated at 11, preferably formed of extruded aluminum andwhich includes elongated fiat top surface 12, and a corresponding bottomsurface 13. The body includes adjacent its opposite edges elongated websi iand 15 and adjacent to which are formed elongated undercut ordovetailed grooves or slots 16 which extend throughout the length of thebody along and adjacent its opposite edges 19.

Elongated, preferably non-metallic edge strips 18, with outer straightupright edge faces are mounted along the opposing upright side edges 19of the straight edge body and are removably interlocked therewith, asbest shown in FIGS. 34.

For this purpose, formed elongated projections, preferably of dovetailedshape, as at 17, extend laterally from the inner surfaces of the saidstrips 18 and are adapted to snugly and retainingly project within thecorrespondingly shaped dovetailed grooves 16, formed in the oppositeedges of the said body.

The edge strips 18 are preferably constructed of a plastic materialwhich is hard and which has good wear characteristics such as nylon, andwherein the said edge strips it; are assembled longitudinally withrespect to the dovetailed slot 16 in the edge faces of the body, and aninterlock is provided, as shown.

Upright edge faces of the said edge strips are of a height greater thanthe height of the body 11, and accordingly project above the top surface12 and below the bottom surface 13, as shown in FIG. 4, and as at pointsthus spacing the undersurface of the body, as at 21 from the glass G,upon which the straight edge is mounted, for illustration.

By this construction, a non-metallic nylon edge strip 18 actuallysupports the metal' body of the rule, or straight edge above the saidglass, or other surface and thus prevents any possible scratchingthereof, and at the same the glass surface. Closure end strips are alsoprovided as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and3,

Elongated end strip 22, preferably constructed of plastic,

rubber; or other; resilient material, extends 'acros's one 'end face ofthe said body andincliides the formed tongue time facilitatesadjustments of the straight edgeover '7 for the v body,

23, which is frictionally projected into the end of the j s retaining.engagement withthe top of the glass G, fragbod'y and retainedtherein,asshown ind- 168, l andQ.

An additional end strip 24 is provided for the opposite endof the bodywhich is of a slightly different formation and also includesatonguewhich is so formed as indicated at 25, FIG."3,*as to be frictionallyandsnugly projected within the opposite endof the body, and retainedtherein.

The said end strip along its lower transverseedge pro jects below thesaid body as at 26, and thus provides:

a stop for the straight edge, retainingly engaging the correspondingedge of a piece'of glass Gpoveriwhich the straight edge is mounted, thestop being indicated at '27,FIG.2.l

' Similarly the end strip 24 projects above the top surface of the bodyas indicated at 28. a "The; end strips are preferably constructed ofrubber, or a suitable non- As shown in FIGJ3, the top surface 12 of the"body- 45. order, toaccommodate' these suction cups, a series oflongitudinally spaced rectangular apertures 42 are formed through thebottom surface13 of the body in order to cooperatively receivethe'suction cup'holders 43,

which are, anchored to the bodyby'a series of screws 44.

The suction cup 45, prefe nably constructed of, rubber, dependszbelovf-the suction cup body43, and belowthe undersurfac'e' of thestraight edgebody for cooperative mentarily shown for example, FIGS.16-7;

. The upright" release plate 47Iis guidably, positioned ithrough'acyliindrical extension 46 of; the suction cup and projectsthereabove.v The "releasearm 48 has a bifurcated end, as shown in FIGS,which is'pivotally mounted at 49 over the top surface of the releasestrip 47, and includes the cam surfaces Sthwhich cooperativelyengagethetop of the extension 46; Accordingly, when it is desired to removethestraight edgejfrom the glass'or other surface,

' metallic, preferably plastic, material, to avoiddamage to the glassor'other surface beingfcut, or marked.

engages the extension 46'for breaking the seal between the glass; andthe suction cup 45 and-to 'facilitate removal of the straight edgetherefrom. I

It iscontemplated as apart of the'present invention the st'raightedgemay be'in thefo'rm-of a ruler. For

this purpose, an elongated stripof material 51" with indicia 52,is'mounted'along and adjacent, one of the edge strips 11 hasanadditional extruded formation, as at 29to thus Q define the elongatedguideslot StL'which extends through- V V out the length' of the topsurface of the body, 'and'par-allel' tothe edge stripsand-is employedfor the purpose of guidably retaining the -glass cutter 35 with respectto the upright surface of the ,adjacentfedge strip 18, as

best shown FIG. '4. Q r

The roller 31 movably' nests and is journaled .at 32 to the bracket orsupport 33 which is itself secured or pivotally connected'at 34 to glasscutter 35, carrying the diamond or other hardened glass cutting wheel36.

It is the primary object of this construction to provide 'theguide'means -31 for the purpose of maintaining 'the cutting-tool 35snugly'against the upright surface of the corresponding edge strip 18.This'm'eans that the operator is not required to exert eifort tomaintain the cutter against the said edge strip and may thu s exert allof his effort for a uniform longitudinal marking or cutting I. movementalong thetop surface ofthe glass G,:for other 7 surface.

The present straightedge alsohas incorporated there- 7 into a means forbreaking glass once it hasbeen cut.1 .For

-thisj purpose thebody has'an extruded formation137' adjacent the topsurface lz-thereof, as showninFIG. 4

to define an pndercut elongated slot 38,-preferably of "dovetail shape"in cross section, adapted to-rernovablyw I within the guide slot 30, '1

'18 and extends throughout the length of the straight edge. For thispurpose there may be employed indicia strip 51,

of a plastic ,or other durable, material, andwhich has a pressure.adhesive undersurface asindicatedat 53 by -Whichtheindicia: strip mayberolled onto or otherwise mounted upon top surface 12 0f the body, asbest shown 'in FIGS.'5 and 7.

It is contemplated, of course, that an additional indicia strip 51 maybe provided upon thestraight edge upon its opposite ledge adjacenttheother edge strip 18. By this construction, the straight edge could bemanufactured without the 'indicia st'rip and the indicia strip appliedwhere requested, or required. v

1 It is believed'that the straight edge 's'uchvas might be insed in wallpaper hanging, or in the cutting of linoleum,

, cutting glass. 7 1

mightbe improvedwith the use of the said indicia strip. Also suchindicia strip is commonly used in marking and It is contemplated asapart of the present invention that the said removable nylon edge stripmay be incorporated into other drafting instruments,'other than astraight edge, as for example the T-square 54 shown in FIG. 8; Here theelongated, preferably extruded metal mounted along its opposite edges,-thQ'IEl'llOVflblQ edge body 55 corresponding to body 11 .ofjFIGfL 3,also' has strips 18; corresponding to the'edge strip above describedreceive and interlockawith a correspondingly shaped pro-1; I

jection' 39 formed in the undersurface 0f the elongated In accordance Inthe operation of the glass breaker, ltS' g with the present invention,the glass plate'breaker strip, which is square incross section, toprovide the elongated corners shown in FIG. 3," is of'the qsamelconstruction as the removable side edge strips 18. g In the use ofthe glass breakerfonce the glass has .been cut, as shownin 4, the glassbreaker: strip 40 and associated straight edge is placeddirectly under,"glass and alongthe cutting line centrally thereof,*after whichmanualapressure is applied to the glass upon "op--. posite' sides of theglass breaker with the result that the glass will break evenly along thecu'ttingline'."

" and secured within one end ofthe body-55 and T-square The presentinvention "may also be incorporated into ;inconnection with-FIGS. 3 and4, and which .construction in detail isnot repeated. f I The'conventionaltransverse plate'56 along one edge has laterally projectingtongue'v57 intermediate its length, lwhich is snugly projected into oneend of a body 55 of "the. T-square and suitably secured thereto, asbyfastenerslSSLj Alternately, fasteners could be omitted, if desired,andthe tongue 57 otherwise frictionally projected a right angle square,or fother drafting instrument, as

"shown inFIG. 9. Fortthis purpose, the elongated-body l,v6t)correspending to the body llof FIGS. 3 and4 has mounted; on; atleast; its outer edge the elongated nylon gtc'ured atone end't o one endof the body 60, .as at.6 2,.and

m urf e edge strip'18,'as above described. A right angular body '41-which is perfectly flat, is positioned directly below, the 1 glass G tobeabroken." r l As apartxof the present invention, means are employedalso for anchoring the straight edge to the glass. or other. surface,asdesired; For this purpose there are provided l a series oflongitudinallylspacedl:flexible' suction cups;

59 of the same construction, engages andislsuitably se- 59alsohave-mounted thereon a removable nylon edge strip 18 of the sameconstruction as above described.

Having described my invention, reference should now be had to thefollowing claim.

I claim: A straight edge comprising an elongated hollow body formed byextrusion of aluminum whereby it is rigid and inflexible, and havingflat top and bottom surfaces and opposed sides formed of elongatedundercut grooves whose edges also are rigid and inflexible;

edge strips having rabbetted formations cooperating with andinterlocking such strips in the undercut grooves of the body and formedof a rigid, unyielding non-wearing plastic material such as nylon;

said edge strips being of a height greater than said body and projectingoutwardly of its respective top and bottom surfaces;

the ends of the body being open;

closures for said open ends comprising blocks of compressible elasticmaterial frictionally and removably held in the body ends by theelasticity of such material; said blocks having portions overlying theends of the edge strips and holding them in the body againstlongitudinal movement relative to said body; said edge strips beinginsertable into and readily removable from the body grooves by relativelongitudinal movement of the edge strips and the body, such movementtaking place only when the blocks are not in body closing position;

said blocks being readily insertable into and removable from said bodyends.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS422,701 Benzinger et al. Mar. 4, 1890 687,353 Vielhaber Nov. 26, 1901867,730 Jefireys Oct. 8, 1907 1,615,013 Kimball Jan. 18, 1927 1,810,392Clark June 16, 1931 1,835,364 Woerner Dec. 8, 1931 1,873,721 PostleyAug. 23, 1932 1,984,273 Kuechenmeister Dec. 11, 1934 2,076,300 CroixApr. 6, 1937 2,214,999 Hullinger Sept. 17, 1940 2,506,426 Larson May 2,1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 243,977 Germany Feb. 27, 1912 739,851 Germany Oct.6, 1943 1,193,236 France Apr. 27, 1959

